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Gender in Science and Engineering Faculties: Demographic Inertia Revisited

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  • Nicole R Thomas
  • Daniel J Poole
  • Joan M Herbers

Abstract

The under-representation of women on faculties of science and engineering is ascribed in part to demographic inertia, which is the lag between retirement of current faculty and future hires. The assumption of demographic inertia implies that, given enough time, gender parity will be achieved. We examine that assumption via a semi-Markov model to predict the future faculty, with simulations that predict the convergence demographic state. Our model shows that existing practices that produce gender gaps in recruitment, retention, and career progression preclude eventual gender parity. Further, we examine sensitivity of the convergence state to current gender gaps to show that all sources of disparity across the entire faculty career must be erased to produce parity: we cannot blame demographic inertia.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicole R Thomas & Daniel J Poole & Joan M Herbers, 2015. "Gender in Science and Engineering Faculties: Demographic Inertia Revisited," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(10), pages 1-9, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0139767
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0139767
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Robyn Marschke & Sandra Laursen & Joyce McCarl Nielsen & Patricia Rankin, 2007. "Demographic Inertia Revisited: An Immodest Proposal to Achieve Equitable Gender Representation among Faculty in Higher Education," The Journal of Higher Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 78(1), pages 1-26, January.
    2. Donna K. Ginther & Shulamit Kahn, 2009. "Does Science Promote Women? Evidence from Academia 1973-2001," NBER Chapters, in: Science and Engineering Careers in the United States: An Analysis of Markets and Employment, pages 163-194, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    1. Kaja Wendt & Hebe Gunnes & Dag W. Aksnes, 2022. "International migration of researchers and gender imbalance in academia—the case of Norway," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 127(12), pages 7575-7591, December.
    2. So Yoon Yoon & Julie L. Aldridge & Monica F. Cox & Joyce B. Main & Ebony Omotola McGee & Meseret F. Hailu, 2023. "Development and Validation of the Workplace Climate and Persistence Scale for STEM Faculty Framed in Intersectionality of Gender, Race/Ethnicity, and Socioeconomic Background," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 64(6), pages 933-958, September.

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